In Defence of Marxism

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the International Monetary Fund, has issued a dire warning:

"If food prices go on as they are today, then the consequences on the population in a large set of countries will be terrific. Hundreds of thousands of people will be starving. Children will suffer from malnutrition, with consequences all of their lives."

Last month the price of rice hit a 19-year high. In Bangladesh it has shot up by 70%. Wheat is at a 28-year high.

This is beginning to become a political issue. The recent protests in Egypt were partially fuelled by rising food prices. On Saturday the government of Haiti was brought down by mass protests against the rising cost of basic food.

The priority of the multinational corporations is to use food products to produce fuel for cars, the infamous biofuels. The British government has just announced that petrol must contain at least 2.5% biofuels and this is to gradually increase to 5% by 2010.

What an utter condemnation of the world capitalist system. They would rather put food in our petrol tanks than feed the poor of the world. This little fact alone is enough to say that the system must go.